30+ Cute and Easy Summer Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

We love easy crafts and paper plates are one of our favourite materials to use. From really quick makes like our paper plate scuba mask to wreaths and more the shape, ease of finding them and use makes them ideal for using with kids. These Summer Paper Plate Crafts are fun and cute, so whether you are looking for some paper plate animals, under the sea crafts or some fruit and flowers we have 30 great ideas for you this season.

Ideas for Summer Crafts with Kids

There are so many different ideas – I’ve tried to put together similar ideas, under the sea, Bugs and other creatures, Fruit and other ideas

Under the Sea Themed Paper Plate Crafts

Whether you just use this as a craft or if you add it into your dressing up box for the summer this Paper Plate Scuba Mask is really easy and great fun to make.

Fish are a favourite of mine to make with paper plates and these Paper Plate Tropical Fish from Crafts by Amanda are bright and colourful.

In fact fish were such a favourite with us that we made some Paper Plate Fish as part of our storybook summer as well as our first basic craft with cut out fish with my eldest when he was under 2 – he loved creating them and they were so easy to make as well.

Want a different take on the fish – why not make it 3D with this cute fish craft from Easy Peasy and Fun.

If you want to try something a little bigger – WELL why not make the BIGGEST THING IN THE OCEAN with this Blue Whale from The Farm Wife Crafts.

From the biggest to ones of the smaller and strangest creatures in the sea this bubble wrap jellyfish from The Resourceful Mama sure is a lot of fun to make.

Although technically a fish, it does belong to the group of fish that include sharks so this stingray craft from The Pinterested Parent would be great to make for some Under the Sea Fun.

So we’ve had a stingray well why not a shark as well and this rocking shark from Artsy Momma looks just the part.

One of my kid’s favourite things to do when they go to the beach is to collect shells and this shell craft from The Educators Spin On It would be great to decorate the playroom with.

Paper Plate Crafts don’t just have to be 2D you can really go to town creating some 3D ones – this Finding Dory aquarium from Crafty Morning is a great example. Or how about making a full Pirate Ship to float on the ocean from Surviving on a Teachers Salary.

Animals and Bug Paper Plate Crafts

We have a few Ladybird or Ladybug paper plate crafts as they are one of our favourite bugs – this one shown above has moveable wings and is great to make as you read the Bad Tempered Ladybird. My eldest also made my youngest some to decorate the house for her first birthday when he was a toddler.

If it isn’t ladybugs it’s bees and this simple bee craft is great to make with little hands from Non Toy Gifts.

If you would like to make your bee actually fly we have this fun bouncing bumble bee that you can get to bounce from flower to flower in the garden.

Enough of bugs – how about a parrot, yes you really can make a parrot out of a paper party plate and they look great too try this parrot craft from Glued to my crafts.

Not convinced on the parrot what about flamingo’s they really are bright and colourful for summer and these Paper Plate Flamingos from My Very Educated Mother look so much fun to make and hang up.

Let’s go a little bigger and we have paper plate lions – both my children loved creating these, we made one version with my eldest and the one shown above was made with my youngest using her hands.

As we’re with African animals why not try this giraffe from Crafty Morning to go with the lions above, soon you will have a full jungle of creatures.

With a lion, and a giraffe the jungle is looking a little more full with some paper plate monkeys swinging from those trees.

Does your toddler like Disney – then why not make some Disney Paper Plate Crafts together

Paper Plate Flowers and Fruit

We’ve covered two of my favourites – sea and animals (yeah I’m a marine biologist so that about covers my life!) but what about some other fun crafts to make.

These Watermelons almost look good enough to eat.

If that watermelon hasn’t got your mouth salivating then this collection of paper plate fruit by Crafts by Amanda certainly will have – that kiwi looks good enough to eat.

With little children, some of those crafts can be a bit more difficult but this torn paper apple from Crafts on Sea works well even with young toddlers.

Looking for some flowers to go with those bugs then this sunflower from Crafty Morning will be sure to attract them.

Again with little fingers, you need something a bit easier to make and this flower fine motor craft from Toddler Approved is easy for even those tiniest of fingers to make.

This other fine motor craft to make woven flowers from Red Ted Art uses a paper plate to create the loom.

Why just make a flower when you can make the whole garden just like Happy Hooligans did.

Stock up for Summer Crafting with these essentials

We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Make sure you have all the supplies for your summer paper plate crafts with these essentials.

Paper Plates – Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Washable Paints – Normal Colours Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk :: Neon Colours for vibrant summer crafts Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Paper suitable for crafting – Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Glue Sticks – I like the disappearing purple ones – Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Craft Scissors for Kids – Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk